Country_Homes_and_Interiors_-_November_2019

The Pig – at Bridge Place

A NEW LITTLE PIGGY NESTLED IN THE CANTERBURY COUNTRYSIDE

LEEDSCASTLE

Ahistoricmarvel,this

magnificentpalacewas

oncethehomeofHenry

VIIIandhisfirstwife,

CatherineofAragon.

Peekinsidetheinteriors,

explorethemazeand

roam the gardens.

CANTERBURY

AquintessentiallyBritish,

medieval,cathedralcity,

picture-perfectCanterbury

is a lovelylocalspottovisit.

Cobbledstreetstwistand

turnalongtheRiverStour,

andthereareindependent

shops around every corner.

KENTVINEYARDS

KnownastheGarden

ofEngland,Kentis also

a primespotforgrape

growing.Askthehotelto

arrangea visittoa local

vintner,andtakea tour

(andenjoya tasting!)

at the vineyard.

A WEEKEND AWAY AT

While youÕre there...

LEFTThehotel

is cocoonedin

countryside.

BELOWSample

localingredients

in the restaurant

T

hePigHotelinBrockenhurst,

anditslitterofyoungersiblings,

areamongthemostbelovedof

allBritishcountryhousehotels.When

thefirstofthecuriouslynamed

propertiesopenedin2011,noone

couldhavepredictedthatit would

becomea cornerstoneina group

ofhotelsthathasredefinedthe

meaningofcountrysidehospitality.

Thelatestlaunch,ThePig– atBridge

Place,occupiesa stunningQueen

AnnepileandformerLedZeppelin

concertvenue,completewith

ramblinggrounds,restaurantand

accommodation options varying

fromluxuriousGeorgiansplendour

tocosyhoppickers’huts.

COUNTRYBOLTHOLE

DesignedbyJudyHutson,thenew

Canterburyoutpostsharesthesame

designDNAasitspredecessors.

Expecta whimsical,slightly

threadbaretakeonruralgrandeur,

withantiques,art,Persiancarpets

andcuriosities.Thistime,though,

there’salsoa doseofglamourand

moodiness,reflectingthehouse’s

rock’n’rollpast.Bedroomsare

supremelycomfortableandinclude

smartroomsinthemainhouse,plus

biggerspacesforfamiliesina series

ofbarns,lodgesandhuts.Outside,

thereareacresoflushgreeneryand

theRiverNailbourne to be explored.

LOCALFOODIE

TheoriginalPigrestaurantdida ‘25

Mile Menu’ long before cooking with

locallysourced,seasonalingredients

wasanywhereneartheaverage

hotelrestaurant’sradar.Foodis

takenseriouslyhereandeverything

comesfromeitherthegardens

ortrustednearbysuppliers.Enjoy

somedeliciouscracklingandapple

saucewithyouraperitifs,thenstart

yourmainmealwithheritagetomato

salad,beforemovingontovenison

faggots,finishingupwitha light

gardenmintblancmange.

ENJOYA LITTLER&R

ThePig’stakeona pamperingspa,

therustic-chicPottingShedis where

guestsgotobepamperedwithrose

bodytherapies,bespokefacials, or

Mum-to-betreatments.Bliss!

ThePig– atBridgePlace,Bourne

ParkRoad,Bridge,Canterbury

CT45LF, 0345225 9494,

thepighotel.com

Stepback

intimeinthe

grand bedrooms

COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS 141

FEATURE

PATRICK HAMILTON COURTNEY

PHOTOGRAPHS

JAKE EASTHAM

LIVE LIFE WELL